Conversations In The Dark
by Scarlet's Walk
Summary: This is… something? Really weird… did I write it when I was sleeping?


They were locked in the kitchen. Don't ask how it had happened. It just had. And it was the middle of the night. Tasuki had wandered drearily down to the kitchen, half asleep, half awake. Looking for food, of course. And now he was locked in. The maid had locked the door, of course, but he could never suspect that since she was in the kitchen with him. And, having nothing better to do while waiting for morning and someone to discover them, they were talking.

The two of them were sitting cross-legged about a foot across from each other on the wide stone floor of the palace kitchen. Brown wooden walls, various pots and pans filled with various foods, and a large black iron stove surrounded them. The maid had her back against the wall. Tasuki was sitting across from her. They were already deeply engaged in conversation, having been waiting for almost an hour now.

"Have you always worked in the palace?" Tasuki asked, beginning a new topic.

"I've had a lot of jobs," the maid said vaguely. "Some. . . were very important."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"For example, what if I told you I was God?"

"I'd say you're fucking crazy!" Tasuki exclaimed.

"That's what I thought," she said. "Then, how could I make you believe?"

"You'd have to . . . I don't know, do some miracle or something," Tasuki said. "You know, predict the future or tell me something about my past that no body knows."

"But what if I could do one of those and I wasn't God?" She asked.

"Well . . . then . . . I don't know. I guess I'd just believe you were God until you told me otherwise."

"What if God is incapable of doing those things?" She asked.

"Well... he wouldn't be. I mean, he's God, so he should be able to do that, right?"

"How do you know that God's a he? What if I told you I was God?"

"You already asked me that second thing," Tasuki said. "Besides, its just easier to call God a he because then you'd always have to be saying 'he or she' this, 'he or she' that, and it would be a hassle."

"But it would also be politically correct," she pointed out.

"Well I don't really care about being 'politically correct' or anything," he pointed out.

"I am God."

He was silent for a second, before replying, "Somehow, I had a feeling you were going to say something like that."

"Well, what do you think? Do you believe me?"

"Didn't we already have this conversation?"

"Yes, but what should I do to prove this to you?"

"Okay. . . you should. . . tell me what's going to happen in the future. Will one of us die before we summon Suzaku?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why, cause you're not God? See, I knew it." Tasuki said.

"No, I can't tell you that because it would completely upset the order of how things are going to happen."

"So you're saying that everything's preset?" He asked. "Like fate?"

"Exactly."

"So this entire conversation, what I'm saying now, and what you're about to say has already been decided?"

"Yes."

"Then what if you find out the future? Then you could change it and that would blow that entire theory."

"That's why I can't tell you what's going to happen in the future," she replied. Then asked, "Do you really think I'm God."

"No, not really."

"Good, because I'm not."

"Then why'd you say you were??"

She shrugged. "Makes for good conversation."

"So everything you were just explaining, about fate and all, isn't true?"

She shrugged. "It could be, it could not be. I don't know, I'm not God."

"Man, you're a really weird person . . ." Tasuki muttered.

"I know." She said.

There was an odd silence.

"What if I told you that this isn't the only world?" She asked, changing the subject. "Would you believe me?"

"Yeah," Tasuki said. "Duh, there's Miaka's world too."

"What if I told you that there were hundreds of worlds in the universe?" She asked.

"Then I would say that you were fucking crazy, once again."

"That's what I thought you would say."

"What are you gonna say next, that you're from one of those worlds?" Tasuki asked.

"Well, actually, yes, in a way."

"In a way?"

"It's too complicated to explain."

"How so?"

"What do you mean 'how so?' It just is. There's no other reason for it."

"So you're saying that it's _so_ complicated that it's _impossible_ to explain it to me?"

"Not exactly. I just don't feel like it. It would take too long. Besides, what would you say if I told you I had already explained it to you?'

"What _are_ you talking about?? If you had already explained it to me, then I would know. And I don't. So obviously you haven't explained it to me yet."

"But what if I did already explain it do you, but you forgot?"

"Listen, I'm not _that_ stupid!" Tasuki declaimed.

"What if I told you I could hypnotize people and make them forget things?"

"I'd ask you to show me."

"Okay. I can."

"Okay. Show me."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a thin metal chain with a dark, smooth stone attached to the end. She held it out in the air between the, level with Tasuki's eyes. "Are you ready?"

"Um, can you explain just exactly what if going to happen?"

"What do you want to happen?"

"What are my options?"

"Do you want me to make you forget this conversation? Or fall asleep? Or make you walk around in circles backwards?"

"How about this," Tasuki said, not really believing anything she was saying. "You hypnotize me and make me walk over to the other side of the room and sit down. Then, when I wake up, I'll be on the other side of the room."

"And then you'll believe that I can hypnotize people?"

"Yeah, then I'll believe you. But not until you do it."

"Alright. Now, you have to do what I say or else it won't work. Promise me you'll try as best as you can to do what I say."

"Alright, I promise, I promise. Can we just get on with this?."

"Okay. Now, close your eyes."

He closed his eyes.

"I need you to relax. Try to clear your mind."

He did what she said, though it was kind of hard.

"Alright, open your eyes now."

He opened his eyes, the pendant stone dangling in front of his eyes.

"Now, I want you to watch the stone." She slowly began swinging the stone back and forth, back and forth.

His eye's silently followed the stone. This continued for a little while.

"Watch the stone, watch the stone," she murmured.

Her voice seemed distant. All he could see was the black shiny stone, swinging back and forth, back and forth.

"Now, you're getting tired. Extremely tired. Your eyelids feel heavy..."

He felt his eyes slowly trying to close. His body felt extremely exhausted.

"When I count to three," her voice murmured. "You will close your eyes and fall into a deep, deep trance. One... two... three."

Everything went dark.

The girl smiled slightly as his eyes close and he became still. She quietly lowered the pendant stone and slipped it back into her pocket. She watched him for a second. His hands were still and he was taking deep breaths. It had worked. He was in a trance.

"Can you hear me?" She asked softly.

"...Yes."

"Good. I want you to walk over to the other side of the room and sit down. When I clap my hands, you'll wake up. Do you understand?"

"Yes..." he said and slowly stood, moving to the other side of the room and doing as she had said.

She smiled and held her hands out. She brought them together with a sharp slap.

Tasuki opened his eyes. He could see the girl... but now she was really far away. He blinked and looked around. He was sitting on the other side of the room.

"H-How. . .??" He scrambled to his feet in alarm.

"Now do you believe me?" the maid asked with a slight smirk.

"You . . . really did it . . ." He breathed.

"Yep. Now come back over here so we can talk some more."

He absentmindedly walked over and took his seat again, still kind of daze. "Wow, that's amazing."

"So . . . you can make people forget things too?"

"Yes."

"So you really did explain that thing to me and then made me forget?"

"What?" She blinked. "Oh yeah, that. No, I made that up. Why would I tell you something if I was going to make you forget it anyway?"

". . .Good point." He said. "Where'd you learn how to do that, anyway?"

"It's a secret." She winked.

"Just who exactly are you?" He asked strangely.

"I'm a witch."

"Really? You're not just saying that like all those other things?"

"Yes. You're quick to believe me now."

"Well, yeah. After I saw you do that. Hey! I wanna see you do it to someone else, so I can watch!"

"Okay . . . but who? And remember, we have to have their consent or it won't work."

"Well that's a setback..."

"I do have other things."

"Like what?" He asked.

"Hmm. . . potions, powders, magic, the lot. You know, usually witch stuff."

"Really??" Tasuki asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"No."

"W-What??"

"I'm not really a witch." The girl explained logically, picking at a fingernail.

"W-What? Then why'd. . .??" Tasuki stared at the girl, exasperated. "How'd you do that hypnosis thing then??"

"That? Oh, that was just something I learned a long time ago."

Tasuki slumped down. "You know... I really hate you."


End file.
